A WELSH company has developed a product to help combat hearing loss in the iPod generation.

Minerva Laboratories has developed a new line of ear defenders aimed at addressing the growing problem of deafness in the UK.

Noise levels in society have tripled since the 1970s and, as a consequence, rates of noise-induced deafness have increased at an alarming rate.

Most worryingly, more young people than ever are subjecting their ears to potentially damaging noise at clubs, gigs and discos, and by prolonged use of personal media players.

Research by the RNID has found that 51% of 16 to 24-year-olds listen to their stereos for at least an hour a day and 19% listen for more than 21 hours a week.

The charity’s report Like It Loud? reveals that one in seven people in the UK are deaf or hard of hearing (nine million people). For many the hearing loss was preventable because it was caused by noise exposure.

In the US, 12% of children aged six to 19 have permanent hearing damage from excessive noise exposure.

An estimated four million young people in the UK are at risk of hearing damage from amplified music.

The World Health Organisation also states that exposure to excessive noise is the major avoidable cause of permanent hearing impairment worldwide.

Experts agree exposure to sounds above 85 dB(A) over time will damage hearing. Music played at clubs, pubs, gigs, in cars, at home and on personal audio equipment can be well above 85 dB(A).

In the future, the UK could see a generation with hearing problems well before their time.

Minerva Laboratories, which supplies many NHS hearing clinics with ear moulds for hearing aids, has developed a new product line from its Cardiff manufacturing base specifically aimed at young people who believe it’s “uncool” to wear ear protection.

Kevin Davies, operations director and a lifelong musician, said: “It is well known that rock musicians such as Pete Townshend and Eric Clapton suffer from hearing loss, but I don’t think people fully grasp the extent to which noise-induced hearing loss affects the population as a whole.

“Furthermore, hearing loss is affecting people at a younger age – a problem exacerbated by prolonged use by young people of portable music players, which are often played very loud – often to drown out ambient sound.

“There has been a reluctance to wear hearing protection as young people find it ‘uncool’.

“The new generation of ear protection addresses this issue from a young person’s perspective.

“The items are very unobtrusive, they don’t affect the quality of the music and are available in funky colours.

“Minerva can also add custom-fitted earpieces to headphones that block outside noise, thus improving sound quality and reducing the need for intense volume.”

The RNID has called for more to be done to alert the public to noise-induced deafness, arguing: “In other areas of public health – diet, sex, smoking, alcohol, drugs, sunbathing – the public has been provided with information that allows them to make an informed choice.

“This is not the case with the dangers to hearing from overexposure to loud music.”

Mr Davies added: “My 11-year-old son is learning to play the drums and he is wearing hearing protection, but that’s only because of my job.

“Most young people don’t realise that the thing they love most may damage their hearing.

“More needs to be done to encourage young people to wear hearing protection, turn down the volume on their personal audio systems and to listen to them for shorter periods of time.”